News Desk
TEL AVIV: Israel has deported 37 members of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, according to official statements and international media reports, in a development that has triggered renewed diplomatic friction with European governments.
The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that activists detained aboard the so-called “Sumud Flotilla” were removed from the country after being held in connection with their attempted voyage towards Gaza.
French authorities separately confirmed that 37 French nationals among the group were deported and subsequently transferred to Turkey, where they were received following their removal from Israel. France Turkey
The flotilla participants were part of a wider humanitarian convoy attempting to reach Gaza by sea, an effort that Israeli authorities have repeatedly blocked on security grounds amid the ongoing conflict in the region. Gaza Strip
During a weekly press briefing, France’s foreign ministry spokesperson said a senior Israeli diplomat had been summoned in Paris to formally protest a video released by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, in which detained flotilla activists were allegedly mocked.
The spokesperson added that France considered the video unacceptable and had conveyed its objections directly to Israeli officials.
The comments also followed calls from Italy for possible European Union sanctions against Ben Gvir, although French officials said it was too early to comment on that proposal.
The incident adds to growing diplomatic tensions between Israel and several European states over the treatment of activists and the broader handling of maritime aid missions bound for Gaza.
